Letter: Trust issue on council's misleading behaviour

The sale of the bowls clubhouse and the green, on the site it has enjoyed for more than 110 years, should still be a cause for concern to all regarding the manner in which the addition of the land has been added to the original brief, and the appalling way the council has treated local residents, particularly those who are directly affected by this decision to sell.

As residents of the house whose principal windows look out onto the bowling green, we accept that we are collateral damage and have taken a back seat whilst the bowls club has taken their assertive campaign to resist a move to the Sea Cliff site and retain the green where it is.

Now it is reported that the bowls club could be re-sited on the College Lane, Deepdale site alongside new tennis courts.

This is not on the plans, suggesting it was a last minute decision.

The council presumably planned to move the bowls club to Sea Cliff despite unanimous objections from members until ‘someone’ suggested this alternative.

This cavalier attitude to local people and the strong feelings this issue has engendered does not promote trust and co-operation for the future.

We hope to work with the developer but ultimately would of course love for this well used green area to remain accessible for all as it has for the past century.

In the Character Appraisal document produced by the council in 2007, it reiterates several times the importance of retaining areas of historic interest and green spaces.

Page 8 of the document states:

‘The spatial and architectural qualities of the area are very much typified by this photograph of 1 Weaponness Park, by the eminent architect Sir Edwin Cooper FRIBA, viewed across the open spaces created by the bowling green and seen against the wooded backdrop of Oliver’s Mount.’

This lovely view enjoyed by all for over a century would certainly be less attractive with housing obscuring the view.

We understand the financial pressures facing the council exposed by negative publicity in Private Eye but do feel they need to examine their procedures and the way they treat the electorate.

Several perfectly courteous emails sent to the council regarding issues the residents wished to raise, did not even elicit an acknowledgement let alone a response.

Scarborough Council should be mindful of their role as custodians of our heritage, not the owners of it.

This is a response from some of the residents of Weaponness Park.

Residents

Weaponness Park

Scarborough